Tobias MENZIES

The Outlander star, 44, segues from his dual fictional parts as “Black Jack” and Frank Randall on the hit Starz series to the role of real-life British naval officer James Fitzjames in The Terror (March 26 on AMC). The new 10-episode series is about a mid-1800s expedition that sailed into uncharted waters in search of the treacherous Northwest Passage to the Pacific Ocean, as ships become frozen in the ice and the crew is menaced by a monstrous predator.

How much of The Terror is based on fact?

A huge amount. The script is woven together from Dan Simmons’ fictionalized novel about the expedition and the real naval mystery from 1845. The Franklin Expedition was the most highly equipped, expensive expedition of the day. Everyone was lost and the boats disappeared. It was one of the great, early Victorian naval failures.

Just recently, the ships were found.

They found the Erebus, the flagship, in 2014; in summer 2016, they found the Terror. Now we’ll start to get a lot more information as they salvage the two wrecks.

Who was James Fitzjames?

He was a naval hero, an example of the hubris of Victorian colonialism. While on the expedition, he has all that stripped away and finds out who he really is.

What’s the most dangerous thing you’ve done in your life?

I’m not a massive thrill-seeker. I [do] ride a motorcycle. That’s not a very good idea. I should knock on wood.